Game



May 30, 1944 I c. L. HAGAN 2,350,031

GAME

Filed April 1, 1943 IN V EN TOR.

l@ d 'aan' i60.

Patented May 30, 1944 i This invention relates to games, one of the objects being to provide a game which can be manufactured at low cost and which utilizes preferably nothing but Wood in its construction so that the parts can be easily fabricated.

A further object is to provide a game apparatus with which a game simulating football can be played, there being utilized a game piecev representing the team in play which is advanced or caused to move backwardly to correspond with gains or losses in yardage, there being associated with the game a supplemental device for indicating the number of downs.

A further object is to provide dice which are marked in a new and novel manner and which, when thrown, will indicate whether or not there has been a gain or a loss by the player.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing Figure 1 is a plan View of the apparatus constituting the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section through the game board.

Figure 3 is a detail view of the game piece representing the player.

Figure 4 is a view in diagram showing the six faces of one of the dice.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, l designates an elongated strip formed preferably of wood although it is to be understood that it might be made of other materials. This strip, while rectangula1` in cross-section, could be made of other shapes if desired and is provided in its top surface with a longitudinal groove 2. This groove intersects a center line 3 extending transversely of the top surface of the strip and dividing the game board into two halves of the playing area indicated at 4 and 5 respectively. Each of these areas is sub-divided by transverse lines 6 to represent the 10- yard lines of a football playing field and the areas between these lines are designated by numerals which, in the present case, range from 1 to 12 successively, there being a blank space at .eac-h` side of thecenter line 3 and between the `two spaces designated by the numeral 1.

Mounted to slide within the groove 2 is a game piece 'l one end of which can be pointed as at 8 to indicate direction of movement when the game piece is advancing or making gains in play. A pin 9 is preferably extended from the top face of this game piece and when the game piece is not in use and it is desired to pack the structure for shipment, etc., said game piece can be inverted and the pin 9 can be inserted into a hole Ill provided therefor in the bottom of the groove 2.

A down indicator forms a part of the apparatus and consists of an angular block Il the top face of which is divided into four areas l 2, these areas being designated by the numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. It might be stated at this time that the bottom side of the block can be a duplicate of the top side so that either side can be uppermost while the game is being played. In connection with the foregoing parts there are provided two dice. These are duplicates and each of them has two opposed faces provided with the character 0. Two other opposed faces carry the character 2. The remaining faces carry the numeral 4 and the numeral 6, respectively.

It will be noted that the game piece 1 has an indicating line I3 extending thereacross. At the start this piece is located at the center of the groove 2 so that the line I3 will register with the center line 3. The down indicator, which is the block II, is placed with corner l in register with the center graduation I3.

With the parts thus located they indicate that the person about to play the game has his team at the center of the field on the first down. The dice 4are cast and if the total indicated is more than five points, the player advances the game piece 1 the number of points above five which have been cast. In other Words if the total indicated by the dice is eight, the player advances three points which is the difference between vel'and eight.

Whenever the player advances as above explained, the down indicator is also advanced and the corner 1 is placed in register with the space to which the player has advanced. If, however, the throw of the dice should indicate a number less than five, it would then be necessary for the game piece to be moved back the number less than ve which have been indicated. For example if the dice show "2 and 0, the difierence between the total, which is 2 and "5 is 3. Thus the player would move backward three points. When this is done the down indicator is not moved but is turned to bring corner 2 of the clown indicator into register with the space where the game piece is located. If the next throw indicates less than five, the game piece is again moved back and the down lindicator is given another turn to bring the "3 corner opposite the space where the player is located. If following the next down the player has not come back to the initial position indicated by the block Il and which block has remained at the point from which the loss began, the playerv loses his turn and the other player then reverses the game piece and throws the dice. Thus the play is continued back and forth and the rst player who reaches the end of the groove or entire loss on the four downs or else forfeit his` turn to the other player who begins his plays at the point where his opponent left oi following his losses. Consequently any loss incurred by one player is advantageous to his opponent who begins his plays at the point Where the fourth down was made.

What is claimed is:

In a. game of the class described an elongated strip having a longitudinal groove, there being ytransverse graduations on the strip intersected by the groove and an opening in the bottom of the groove, a game piece mounted for sliding movement in the groove, and a pin extending from the game piece and constituting a finger piece, said nger piece, when inverted, constituting means for supporting the pin Within the opening, thereby to hold the game piece against sliding movement.

r CHARLES L. HAGAN. 

